Dale Steyn could cut down pace to prolong career
Aug 17, 2016 at 2:24 PM
Dale Steyn has been an undying enigma and is an absolute legend in the game. The veteran South African pacer has revolutionized the true essence of fast bowling in the last few years and his mind-boggling numbers speak for themselves. However, like any other renowned cricketer, Steyn is currently enduring a rough patch, where injuries have only made things hard for him.
It all began in India last year, when a niggle ruled him out of the last three games in the test series. Steyn was back against England at home, and bowled a vicious opening spell. It seemed that Steyn was back, and back for good. But a shoulder injury cut short his series and since then, he has been pretty much on the sidelines. The upcoming series against New Zealand will witness his return and his fans are completely geared up.
In an interaction, Steyn admitted that he would be looking to cut down on his pace in order to prolong his career. “If I must be realistic about it, running in and bowling 145kph all day when you haven’t done it for a long time is going to be really tough,” said Steyn. “Objective number one is to get through 18 overs a day, maybe dropping in pace, but being as effective as possible. 140 is going to be enough,” Steyn said. “There’s going to be a day when I can rev it up to 145 and maybe even 150 but we’ve got somebody like Kagiso Rabada who can do that now.”
The pacer added that from now on, he would look to bowl longer spells. “I love the idea that I can bowl long periods and attack for a whole lot longer by bowling consistently hard lengths with the odd bouncer here and there,” he mentioned. “In one day cricket, you bowl two hard-length balls and then think this guy might come at me, I have to change up now and then bowl a slower ball. Now, you can really put pressure on batters. You can hit that hard length all day until they make a mistake and that’s what I love. I love testing guys’ patience and it’s a waiting game.”
While speaking about records, Steyn mentioned that he hardly thought about them. “That stuff annoys me. When I went to Bangladesh everyone said you are going to get 400 wickets and then the rain came and it was a nightmare and then people said in India, if you bowl well you can get Polly’s record and then I did a groin and then they said if bowl well against England, you will get it. I am not interested in any records. It will be a record if I can get through a game without injury.”